Erica Verrillo has written seven books and published five. She doesn't know why anyone with an ounce of self-preservation would ever want to publish. But, if you insist on selling your soul to the devil, learn how to do it right: marketing, literary agents, book promotion, editing, pitching your book, how to get reviews, and ... most important of all ... everything she did wrong.
She's a member of PEN, so in the interest of protecting the 1st Amendment, she did not vote for Trump.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

There are loads of free literary contests in April, some with substantial prizes. All genres and forms are included, from humorous poetry, to short fiction, to full length-works, both published and unpublished.

Some of these contests have age and regional restrictions, so be sure to read the full guidelines before submitting.

Good luck!

Note: I post a list of free upcoming contests the last week of every month. But if you want to get a jump on contests, the tab labeled "Free Contests" is regularly updated. Be sure to check there for future and past contests.

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Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Now in its 15th year, this contest seeks today's best humor poems, published and unpublished. Please enter one poem only, 250 lines max. Prize: $2,250 in prizes, including a top prize of $1,000, and publication on Winning Writers. Deadline: April 1, 2016. Submission formHERE.

Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. Restrictions: The writer must be Canadian, and an entry must be the writer's first or second published book of any type or genre and must have a Canadian locale and/or significance. Genre: Print books and ebooks of creative non-fiction published in the previous calendar year. Prize: C$10,000.00. Deadline: April 1, 2016. More details are HERE.

The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship for Writers. Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians awards fellowships for writers to spend time in McCullers' childhood home in Columbus, Georgia. The fellowships are intended to afford the writers in residence uninterrupted time to dedicate to their work, free from the distractions of daily life and other professional responsibilities. Award: Stipend of $5000 to cover costs of transportation, food and other incidentals. Fellowship recipients will be required to introduce or advance their work through reading or workshop/forum presentations. The Fellow will work with the McCullers Center Director to plan a presentation near the end of the residency. Deadline: April 1, 2016. More details are HERE.

The Great American Think-Off. Genre: Essay on the theme: “Income Inequality Threatens Democracy.” Entrants should take a strong stand agreeing or disagreeing with this topic, basing their arguments on personal experience and observations rather than philosophical abstraction. Essay should be no more than 750 words. Prize: One of four $500 cash prizes. Deadline: April 1, 2016. Submission details areHERE.

Paterson Fiction Prize. Genre: Published novel or collection of short fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 1, 2016. More details are HERE.

The Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize. Genre: Book-length translation of Asian poetry into English. Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000.Deadline: April 8, 2016. See detailsHERE.

William Saroyan Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in 1st grade through college. Genre: Short story, 2 pages. Prize: $50 - $100. Deadline: April 11, 2016. More details are HERE.

Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Only undergraduates enrolled full time in United States and Canadian universities and colleges for the academic year 2015-16 are eligible. Genre: Fiction of no more than 7,500 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 15, 2016. See submission detailsHERE.

Common Good Books Poetry Contest is sponsored by Common Good Books, proprietor Garrison Keillor. Genre: Poetry. The poem must be a declaration of gratitude. Prize: Grand prizes of $1000 each, and four poets will receive $500 for poems of particular merit. Deadline: April 15, 2016. See submission detailsHERE.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 to be eligible for the 2016 Prize. Must be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: April 15, 2016. See details HERE.

Chautauqua Editors Prize. Awards will recognize the writing that best captures both the issue’s theme and the spirit of Chautauqua Institution. Prizes: $500, $250, and $100 for each issue. Deadline: April 15, 2016. Submission form isHERE.

The Waterman Fund Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. "The dual mission of the NPS is to conserve the resources and provide visitor enjoyment of uniquely wild and beautiful places around the country. However, with these high and growing levels of use, how can the NPS achieve these ideals? Is the spirit of wilderness alive and well in our National Parks? What do we gain or lose by protecting these areas over others? What relationships between stewardship and National Parks stand out as significant in preserving both our landscapes and our ideals of wilderness? Emerging writers are encouraged to address these questions and their own in well-crafted essays, drawing on personal wilderness experiences—in or out of Parks—as concrete examples for their arguments." Prizes: The winning essayist will be awarded $1500 and publication in Appalachia Journal. The Honorable Mention essay will receive $500.Deadline: April 15, 2016. Submission details areHERE.

Monash Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing. "Now in its fifth year, the Prize is a significant literary award for new and emerging writers. The prize is open to both Australian and New Zealand university students, enrolled in either an undergraduate or honours degree. All types of creative writing will be accepted, including short stories, non-fiction narrative and narrative verse." Prize: $4000. Deadline: April 18, 2016. Submission details areHERE.

Sapiens Plurum. Genre: Stories that personalize the consequences of climate change so readers feel as well as know them. But stories must offer hope, at least a possibility, for without hope people rarely act. Your job, as author, is to inspire scientists and states-persons around the world to live up to the promise of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300. Deadline: April 22, 2016. Submission details are HERE.

Toronto Book Awards. Genres: All genres accepted. Restrictions: Submission "must evoke the city itself, that is, contain some clear Toronto content (this may be reflected in the themes, settings, subjects, etc.). Authors do not necessarily have to reside in Toronto. Ebooks, textbooks and self-published works are not eligible. Prize: A total of $15,000 CD will be awarded. Each shortlisted author (usually 4-6) receives C$1,000 and the winning author is awarded the remainder.Deadline: April 30, 2016. Submission guidelines are HERE.

Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships. Restrictions: Applicants must reside in the U.S. or be U.S. citizens. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years of age as of April 30, 2016. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $25,800.Deadline: April 30, 2016. Submission guidelines are HERE.

Lake Superior State University High School Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students students residing in the Midwestern United States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) or Ontario, Canada. Genre: Alternate history short stories. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: April 30, 2016. Submission guidelines are HERE.

The Jan Garton Prairie Heritage Book Award will be given to the best book of the year that illuminates the heritage of America’s mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors’ first books receive extra consideration. Books published in 2014 may be nominated by publishers, authors, or readers. Genre: Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. Prize: $1000 and a sponsored book-signing. Deadline: April 30, 2016. Submission guidelines are HERE.

The Scythe Prize. Restrictions: Open to college students. Genre: Short stories, creative nonfiction. Prize: $250. Deadline: April 30, 2016. Submission guidelines are HERE.

Genres: Creative nonfiction (personal essays, memoir excerpts, and literary journalism), poetry, photography and art, videos, and audio recordings, and additional genres and styles, as long as music is the centerpiece and the story is true.

The anthology will feature works from emerging and established Indigenous-Canadian writers, and will focus on the effects of colonialism in Canada from a historical or contemporary perspective.

Genres: Historical or contemporary fiction, creative, non-fiction, essay, or poetry. Your work must address the anthology’s theme from an Indigenous perspective in compelling ways and will be assessed based on artistic and educational merit.

Length: 3,000 words and under per piece for fiction, non-fiction, or essay. Two to three pieces for poetry with a submission maximum of five.

Payment: 5¢/word for fiction, non-fiction, or essay and $50 per published poem.

"NonBinary Review is a quarterly digital literary journal that joins poetry, fiction, essays, and art around each issue's theme. We invite authors to explore each theme in any way that speaks to them: re-write a familiar story from a new point of view, mash genres together, give us a personal essay about some aspect of our theme that has haunted you all your life. We also invite art that will accompany the literature and be featured on our cover. All submissions must have a clear and obvious relationship to some specific aspect of the source text (a character, episode, or setting). Submissions only related by a vague, general, thematic similarity are unlikely to be accepted."

Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction and nonfiction, and a flat fee of $10 per poem and $25 per piece of visual art

"For many of us being at work or working for a living takes up more than half of our time. Probably also more than half of the time of our whole lives. In this issue we want to explore how our work can cause distress, make us unhappy but also show off alternatives that show how fulfilling a profession can be. Is there such a thing as good work and bad work? How do other cultures “work”, how did our grandparents “work”. What work has been done to make the world “better”. What is work, or labour, or profession, and what does it mean to us? Is working in our blood, is it good for our soul to do stuff? Many questions to explore, send us your proposals for essays, short stories, and poetry to submit@nous-magazine.de"

"Read-aloud story rhymes – Many picture books for children have, at their heart, a story narrated in the form of a short rhyming text. Send us your rhyming texts of up to 200 words, that tell a story to read aloud to a small child." Women only.

Seeking submissions for two upcoming blog series:Milestones: - Yours, your child’s, your family’s. Tell us about a personal or family milestone and the journey to get there (or not get there). Topics might include a mother’s spiritual awakening after her empty nest; missing a son's first time learning how to ride a bike; teaching a child with a learning disability how to read.

Multiples: Share your stories about raising multiples, being a multiple, or what it’s like growing up in a family with multiples. Topics might include: having twins as the first vs. the last children in the family; commemorating the date twins come home after months in the NICU; comparing identical twin siblings' separate identities.

"|tap| magazine especially aims to publish poetry and prose on trauma, mental health, social justice, and by marginalized voices. We are looking for work that is vulnerable, work that is evocative, and work with risk and emotion."

"EPOCH is an open forum for literary fiction, poetry, essays, screenplays, cartoons, graphic art, and graphic fiction. We consider only work that is previously unpublished. We do not accept electronic submissions or simultaneous submissions."

Payment: $50 per poem, and a maximum of $150 per story, more for fiction submitted by literary agencies and for long stories and novellas.

"Catskill Made is a digital journal of artists and makers in the Catskills. Our primary aim is to explore the creative environment in all its forms, examining how the rural mountain lifestyle affects artists, artwork, and the art-making process. Our secondary goal is to document that lifestyle and those artists in a publication as beautiful as the region itself."

"Life doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Plants and mushrooms work together to create networks, an ecosystem. We live together with microbiotic bugs in our mouths, our guts. No being exists on their own. We exist in colonies, in families, as part of worlds. Show us symbiosis: two characters that can’t live without each other, or someone perfectly adapted to their microcosm. Working in sync to create a better life."

"We are looking for stories about characters who are thrown into or stuck between different cultures, communities, families, races, genders, self-images, dimensions, continents, etc. We want the gray area—the uncomfortable, the undefined. Give us characters in the middle of it all: middle children, mediators, people in the middle of their lives, in the middle of a mess—“in-between.”

"Share your awesome stories about how good things happen to good people! We’re looking for stories about angels, miracles, answered prayers, messages from heaven, and all your other awe-inspiring experiences, whether religious or non-religious."

"Summer’s End is an anthology of fantastical stories that will be about the end of ages, civilisations, golden times that decline inexorably or suddenly. Think the fall of the men of Numenor, the end of the first age of Yggdrasil, the sacking of Rome or the swallowing of Anhkor Watt by the forests as its people disappeared."

"Broken Bones & Ten Dollar Bills is an anthology of science fiction stories that explore our relationship with body altering technology, be that genetics or other techs. We want to see stories that explore our relationship with technology but also those people who traffic in these goods, those scientists who invent them and the corporations who profit from our awkwardness about being embodied."

"I know how depression feels. I know how events can spiral out of control, with one piece of shitty news after another. I know how small stuff rapidly becomes big things. And I know just how easily a camel’s back breaks. This anthology, SEMI-COLONIC IRRIGATION, is in aid of as-yet-undetermined charities. We’re initially looking to raise funds for counselling services and those who offer support to survivors."

"For an anthology Memento Mori Press will release in August 2016, we’re looking for several haunted house stories. The stories must involve a haunted house of some sort, but please be creative. The people can be haunted rather than the house, or the haunting can be in a character’s mind, and so on."

Thursday, March 24, 2016

There are conferences springing up all over the country in April. Topics range from the nuts and bolts of how to get published, to how to write fight scenes, to how to write science for children. There are workshops with authors and industry professionals, as well as critique groups, pitch sessions, and informal schmoozing.

For writers, who spend so much time in solitary pursuits, writers' conferences are exciting and rewarding experiences. I encourage you to attend one. Even if it's a one-day workshop, you will be invigorated.

New York Writers Workshop Fiction Pitch Conference, April 8 – 10, 2016, Ripley-Grier Studios (NY Spaces) 520 Eighth Ave (36th/37th), 16th Fl. Participants polish their pitches with the help of conference leaders who are members of the New York Writers Workshop faculty, then they present them to three different editors from major New York publishing houses. Editors provide feedback and may request proposals and manuscripts after the conference. Cost: $450 for 3-day Fiction Pitch Conference, including Agents Panel.

Writing By Writers Workshop. April 8 – 10, 2016, Boulder, Colorado. Faculty: Craig Childs, Pam Houston and Luis Alberto Urrea. "Each day will start with a craft talk by one of our faculty members and then participants will split into small groups where they will dissect the art and craft of writing through lectures, writing exercises and class discussions. We won’t be reading and critiquing manuscripts, but rather closely examining elements of craft with the intention of allowing participants to see their work with deeper insight while also generating new material. Each participant will have the opportunity to work in a small group setting with all three faculty members."Rally of Writers Conference. April 9, 2016. Lansing, Michigan. Features workshops, craft talks, and author readings in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Participants include poet Michael Lauchlan and Rosalie Petrouske; fiction writers Bonnie Jo Campbell, Susan Froetschel, Jim Hines, and Lev Raphael; and nonfiction writers Rosa Morales, Robin Silbergleid and Bob Tarte. Cost: $85 ($60 for students) in advance, and $100 ($70 for students) on-site.

The Philadelphia Writing Workshop. Saturday, April 9, 2016, at the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel, in downtown Philadelphia. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome." Thirteen agents will be attending. Cost: $129 — final registration pricing. This is the complete base price for registration and access to all workshops, all day. Add $29 to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of the literary agents in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.)

Antioch Writers' Workshop "The Writing Life," April 9, 2016, Yellow Springs, Ohio. "From finding the inspiration and time to write, to crafting outstanding query letters, to managing finances... how can you make everything happen that you need to as a writer and balance it all with the rest of your life?" Cost: $150.00.

Nuts and Bolts of Science Writing 2016 is sponsored by Highlights. April 10-14, 2016. Honesdale, PA. Workshop Faculty: Jennifer Swanson, Miranda Paul, Emily Feinberg, Paige Hazzan. "You love science and our world—and want to share your knowledge and passion with kids. How do you accomplish it? Learn the dynamics of engaging science-based writing for children and teens—whether you’re published already or just beginning. Faculty will demonstrate how to energize readers through active fiction and nonfiction writing that shines the light on exciting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts. Through presentations, hands-on workshops, one-to-one manuscript critiques, ample writing time, and sessions with acquiring editors, this workshop will give you the tools and insights you need to advance on your path to success."

Arkansas Literary Festival. Apr 14 - 17, 2016, Little Rock, Arkansas. "Prestigious award-winners, screenwriters, comedians, an expert witness, artists, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet are among the diverse roster of presenters who will be providing sessions." Free.The Pikes Peak Writers Conference, April 15 - 17, 2016. Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The three-day conference is full of topical, in-depth workshops, dynamic keynote speakers, opportunities for one-on-one time with agents and editors, the chance to read your work aloud for constructive critique, plus time to socialize with fellow writers."

Duck River Writers’ Conference. April 16, 2016. Columbia, Tennessee. Features workshops, craft talks, manuscript consultations, and a featured reading. The faculty includes poets Joseph Cook, Jeff Hardin, and Carrie Jerrell; fiction writers Adria Bernardi and Dana Carpenter; and nonfiction writer and translator Beverly Mitchell. Poet Mark Jarman will give a featured reading. Cost: $10 (free for Columbia State students with a valid I.D.) before February 29, and $15 on-site. To enroll in a workshop, e-mail three to five poems, or 10 pages of fiction, by March 18. An additional reading fee of $15 is required to attend a workshop.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference. April 23, 2016. Newport, Rhode Island. Greensboro, North Carolina. Features intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as publisher exhibits, on-site "lunch with an author" readings, and an open mic. The faculty includes poets Vievee Francis, Matthew Olzmann, and Jennifer Whitaker; fiction writers Quinn Dalton and Travis Mulhauser; and creative nonfiction writers Jim Minick and Mylene Dressler. The keynote speaker is fiction writer Michael Parker. Cost: $150 ($99 for members) until April 17 and $165 ($135 for members) thereafter and on-site.

Rochester Writers' Spring Conference. Apr 23 2016, Rochester Hills, Michigan. Lectures, Workshops and Panel Discussions in fiction, non-fiction and business of writing presentations. Open to new, working and published writers of all genres. Attendees select four presentations from a dozen to tailor fit their needs.

Writers' Day, April 23, 2016. Hooksett, NH. Workshops and seminars led by professional writers, editors, agents, and publishers. The conference includes the option of face-to-face manuscript critiques and agent/publisher one-on-one pitch sessions.

Ontario Writers’ Conference. April 30 to May 1, 2016. Ajax, Canada. Features workshops, craft talks, master classes, readings, and meetings with agents and editors. The theme of this year’s conference is Diversity in Publishing. Participants include fiction writers Wayson Choy, Donna Morrissey, Alison Pick, and Amanda Sun; agents Sam Hiyate and Alison MacDonald, both of the Rights Factory; and editors Allyson Latta and Ruth E. Walker. Cost: $260 Canadian (approximately $215). The fee for a master class is $99 Canadian (approximately $82), and a one-on-one meeting with an agent or editor is $35 Canadian (approximately $29). Registration deadline is March 31.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Twitter pitch fests are limited periods of time (usually one day) during which you can post a 140-character pitch for your book.

Pitch contests can be a little more complicated. Some pitch contests span months, and have stages in which you hone your work, preparing it for an agent.

Others simply allow you to tweet your pitch, cold. Agents are on the alert at these times, and they have the option of "liking" your pitch, and then asking for a full or partial.

Should you take part in one?

If you have a completed, agent-ready manuscript, by all means, tweet your pitch! It can't do you any harm, and it doesn't preclude querying agents by any means!

Believe it or not, pitch fests actually do work. Busy, overwhelmed agents are often more likely to read and respond to an interesting twitter pitch than they are to a query. It takes less time and a lot less effort.

However, it will not take less effort on your part. Boiling your novel down to a short sentence is loaded with pitfalls. It's surprisingly easy to turn your exciting novel into a one-sentence summary that would bore an elephant to tears. So, I would suggest that you read What's Your Book About? How to Make a Pitch before attempting one of these contests.

It is also immensely helpful to read some twitter pitches first. You can get onto twitter right now and type #PitchCB into a search to read some excellent pitches. (Go ahead, do it now. I'll wait.) Some of those pitches will make you want to BUY those books, which is precisely what the pitch is intended for. Contrary to what you may think, a pitch is not really about the meaning, theme, or inherent quality of your book. It is a sales tool. So, think about what would make you want to read a book, and convey that in your pitch. (A hint: Pitches, like queries, follow the story arc of your main character.)

Here is a list of 2016 pitch fests. Like twitter itself, pitch fests are constantly changing and evolving. There are probably a few that I've missed. And, some of these may vanish by next year, but that is the nature of publishing. It's a volatile industry.

"Pitch to Publication is for writers with FULLY COMPLETED manuscripts, who are ready to achieve the next level of literary wholeness. Authors will submit a query and 5 pages of their draft manuscript to one of our fifteen, highly sought-after freelance editors. Each editor will select one (and sometimes two!) authors to work with for a month of intensive manuscript development. Your editor will help prepare you and your work for our agent round in the middle of April!"

Brenda Drake has done more to popularize twitter pitch contests than anyone else. Her contests are well organized, and attract many industry professionals as well as published authors eager to help aspiring writers. Agents keep an eye on her contests, and have signed on writers through their initial pitches. Make sure to read the contest rules carefully.

Note: You may only tweet your pitch three times during #PitMad. Read about the new rules HERE.

FicFest is a brand new contest launching in 2016 that will help put manuscripts in front of agents. FicFest is unique in that this contest covers the five major categories of writing: Children’s Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult. The chances for each category to get agent requests is equal. Unlike most writing contests, an equal number of finalists will be chosen for each category so that one does not overpower the other. FicFest creators also ensure that there will be a plethora of agents wanting each of these categories. Our goal is to help writers of all books get out there, get great feedback, and have the opportunity to get partial/full requests from agents.

#DVpit is a Twitter event created to showcase pitches about and especially by marginalized voices. This includes (but is not limited to): Native peoples and people of color; people living and/or born/raised in underrepresented cultures and countries; disabled persons; people with illness; people on marginalized ends of the socioeconomic, cultural and/or religious spectrum; people identifying as LGBTQIA+; and more.

“Query Kombat will host 64 kombatants in a single-elimination, tournament style query-off. Entries will go head to head (one on one) with one another until only ONE entry remains.

Participants in Query Kombat submit a query and their first 250 words to the Query Kombat team via email. Of these, 64 entries will be selected to “fight” against one another one-on-one. During these battles, two similar submissions are posted, and a selection of professional judges will vote “Victory” on their favorites. Whichever submission gets the most Victory votes will move on the the next round, until only one remains standing. In addition, an agent round will happen after round one of the Kombat, which means that 32 total submissions will have the chance to be requested by agents."Note: The submission window is only open for one hour.

The contest will happen on Twitter under a common hashtag (#SFFpit). During a 10-hour window on the chosen day, authors with completed manuscripts who are seeking representation or publication can tweet a pitch for their books (at most, once per hour).

This is a very interesting contest and pitching opportunity for writers with complete, polished novels (Middle Grade, YA, or NA/Adult) in any genre except erotica. Instead of pitching your book via 140 characters, or a synopsis, or even a first page, you submit your 70th page via a form. The idea is that by page 70 your book should be in full swing. Take a look at the submission form HERE.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

It seems personal essays are all the rage lately. Even otherwise stodgy publications are turning to them as a means of drumming up clientele. (I blame blogs.)

In case you are wondering what a personal essay is, it's any nonfiction story written in first person. Personal essays always involve a true experience, especially one that evokes emotions that speak to a broader audience.

Like the short story, personal essays are structured, have a theme, and usually involve a moral or message of some kind. Some literary journals and niche magazines are willing to pay substantially for these essays, so devoting a few hours to writing one is worth your consideration.

Connections is looking for first-person essay on relationships of any kind (romantic as well as those between friends, siblings, and parents and children).

Length: 650 words

Payment: Fees vary depending on the story length and the column for which the piece will be used.
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The 3288 Review"Tell a good story. Tell a true story. Examples include A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius or the stories from The Moth. A case could also be made for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Restrictions: Only accepts submissions from current or former residents of West Michigan, or people who have some significant connection to the West Michigan region.Length: From 1,000 to 15,000 words Payment: Prose 1,000 to 2,500 words – $25.00; Prose between 2,500 and 7,500 words – $50.00; Prose 7,500 to 15,000 words – $75.00

"A Chicken Soup for the Soul story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people having extraordinary experiences. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple piece that touches our readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. These stories are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people."

"The Home Forum is looking for upbeat, personal essays. We also welcome short poems. All material must be original and previously unpublished. For seasonal material, be aware that if you submit something that is about a particular month, holiday, event (back to school, graduation), or season, we need to receive it a minimum of six weeks ahead. These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story; share a funny true tale. The humor should be gentle. We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects, and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don't deal with the topics of death, aging and disease."

"My Maine is our section most open to new contributors. My Maine stories are personal essays that focus on some aspect of the writer’s relationship to Maine and the Maine
landscape. Pieces are often lyrical, sometimes humorous, and almost always have a strong first person
component. We receive more submissions for My Maine than any other section of the
magazine; please give us three months to respond to your submission before following up."

"FATE magazine reports on a wide variety of strange and unknown phenomena. We are open to receiving any well-written, well-documented article. (FATE does not publish poetry or fiction.) Our readers especially like reports of current investigations, experiments, theories, and experiences."

Payment: $50 per article, and $10 for short fillers, which are less than 500 words, payable six months after print publication. Payment for “True Mystic Experiences” and “My Proof of Survival” is $25, including the use of the photograph, which will be returned.

"Good Old Days tells the real stories of the people who lived and grew up in “the Good Old Days” (about 1935–1960). We like stories to sound informal and conversational, as if you’re sitting around the kitchen table reminiscing with your friends and family. However, we are open to any way you choose to write your story, as long as it is true and falls within our targeted period of time. We prefer the author’s individual voice, warmth, humor and honesty over technical ability. We do not accept fictional manuscripts."

Length: 500 to 1,500 words

Payment: $15 to $75

____________________Michigan Quarterly Review"MQR is an eclectic interdisciplinary journal of arts and culture that seeks to combine the best of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction with outstanding critical essays on literary, cultural, social, and political matters. The flagship journal of the University of Michigan, MQR draws on lively minds here and elsewhere, seeking to present accessible work of all varieties for sophisticated readers from within and without the academy."Length: 1,500 words minimum, 5,000 average, 7,000 maximum

"We're looking for anyone with a fresh voice and a compelling story to share—basically any work that really knocks our socks off. At the core, Slice aims to bridge the gap between emerging and established authors by offering a space where both are published side-by-side. We simply look for works by writers who promise to become tomorrow’s literary legends."

"We are interested in literary fiction, including short stories, short shorts, and novel excerpts up to 6,250 words in length, and creative nonfiction. We select work on the basis of style, craft, freshness, and vision."Payment: $50____________________The Rusty Toque

"The Rusty Toque is a contemporary online literary and arts journal from Ontario. The Rusty Toque strives to publish innovative literary writing, film, reviews, and visual art nationally and internationally in the spring and fall of each year."

Extra Crispy"If there’s any group of people who believe the ideas around breakfast are boundless, we're obviously the ones. The editors of Extra Crispy want to hear your hot takes on hot cakes." No restaurant reviews.Payment: Competitive rates
____________________Dame Magazine

"The editors of Modern Love are interested in receiving deeply personal essays about contemporary relationships, marriage, dating, parenthood...any subject that might reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma the writer has faced in his or her life. It helps if the situation has a contemporary edge, though this is not essential. Most important is that the writing be emotionally honest and the story be freshly and compellingly told."

Salon accepts articles and story pitches to the appropriate section with “Editorial Submission” in the subject line and the query/submission in the body of the email. Include your writing background or qualifications, along with links to three or four clips.Payment: 10 cents/word

"The Billfold aims to do away with the misbelief that talking about difficult money issues is uncomfortable, and create a space to have an honest conversation about how we save, spend and repay our debts. We are going to break one of the last taboos in our culture — talking about what you earn, what you spend, what you owe. Interested in contributing to The Billfold? Send an e-mail to notes@thebillfold.com with a specific pitch you have in mind and an editor will get back to you as soon as possible."

Payment: 3 cents/word

__________________Motherwell
"We are looking for evocative first-person narratives that have a unique focus, or take a novel angle, on a slice of the parenting experience. We are open to a range of styles and tones: the only requirement is that the essay works on its own terms—be it lyrical, humorous, research-oriented, etc—and conveys something fundamental about its writer."

Length: Up to 1200 wordsPayment: Not specified __________________Tin House

Tin House is a highly regarded literary magazine that accept unsolicited submissions twice a year: in September and March.

"Narratively is devoted to original and untold human stories, delivered in the most appropriate format for each piece, from writing to short documentary films, photo essays, audio stories and comics journalism. We are always interested in adding new, diverse voices to the mix and we pay for stories. We accept both pitches for story ideas and completed submissions."

Payment: Not specified

__________________The Establishment"The Establishment is looking to unearth overlooked stories, produce original reporting, and provide a platform for voices that have been marginalized by the mainstream media. And yes, we want your humor, wit, and good old-fashioned satire, too. We publish originally reported features, interviews, long-form journalism, personal essays, and multimedia of all shapes, sizes, and creeds."Length: 800–1,500 wordsPayment: $125__________________The Sun"We publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry. We tend to favor personal writing, but we’re also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues. And we’re open to just about anything. Surprise us; we often don’t know what we’ll like until we read it."Length: Up to 7,000 wordsPayment: $300-$2000__________________

Skirt"skirt! publishes two personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women’s interests. Essays must fit one of our monthly themes."Length: 800 to 1100 words

Travelers’ Tales are yearly anthologies of travel writing. "We’re looking for personal, nonfiction stories and anecdotes-funny, illuminating, adventurous, frightening, or grim. Stories should reflect that unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. Stories that have already been published are welcome as long as the author retains the copyright to reprint the material."

Payment: $100

__________________

Brain, ChildBrain, Child is an award-winning literary magazine for mothers. "We focus on long form essays. We are excited by great writing – and by both new and established writers. It makes our day when we hear from an established writer or publish an author for the first time."

Destinations uses pieces that go beyond a mere description of a trail or place. "Our destination stories are almost always first person and based upon the author’s recent trip experience. Readers should come away with a strong sense of that particular outdoor experience, a firm grasp of the location’s character, and the inspiration to duplicate the trip."

Length: 1,500 to 5,000 or more words, and most contain a full Expedition Planner sidebar (contact, permit, season, hazards, map, guidebook, and other useful information; look at past BACKPACKER issues for examples and style).Payment: $0.40-$1 per word ___________________True Story"Surprise us! The only rules are that all work submitted must be nonfiction and original to the author, and we will not consider previously published work."Length: 5,000 - 10,000 wordsPayment: $300 Note: There is a $3 fee to submit online. No charge for snail mail.___________________AARP

The American Association of Retired People accepts thoughtful, timely, new takes on matters of importance to people over 50. “Originality is key. Certain life events, such as caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease, inspire many more great essays than we could ever hope to publish. We’re looking for the compelling reads and universal truths in unusual, extreme or common-but-little-discussed life experiences.”

The Bold Italic is an online magazine that celebrates the character and free-wheeling spirit of San Francisco and the Bay Area. For pitches, comments and general inquiries, send a message to info@thebolditalic.com.

Bustle is "for & by women who are moving forward as fast as you are." Topics range from politics, to motherhood, to books, fashion and entertainment. Although the focus is on women, articles by men are accepted. Payment varies. Read their submission guidelines.

"We’re interested in seeing finished pieces that intersect culture. We realize it’s a lot to ask for people to to write something without knowing if it will be published. On the other hand if you aren’t driven by the story so much that you have to write it then it’s probably not a good fit for The Rumpus."Payment: Averages 13 cents/word___________________Human Noise Journal

"[Our] goal is to publish pieces that are
intriguing and unique. Pieces that make you think. Pieces that
encompass all of the human experience. Pieces that are multimedia and
experimental. We want to give a voice to the voiceless. Most of us
here have been a struggling artist in one form or another and now it
is our turn to give writers, novice or experienced, a place to get
published. So send us your darlings, if you are brave enough to put
them out into the world."